The People’s Association (PA) is a statutory board under the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY).[1] Established on 1 July 1960 through the People’s Association Ordinance,[2] the association aims to foster multicultural values in the different communities through group participation in social, cultural, educational and athletic activities that cut across communal lines.[3] This was necessary to blur the sharp divisions that existed in Singapore society then, when the different ethnic communities were living in their own enclaves. At the time, race, language and religion largely determined who the people mixed with, which schools they attended and how they earned a living.[4] The PA was also responsible for the training of community leaders so as to instil in them a sense of national identity and a spirit of dedicated service to a multiracial society.[5] As a political tool, the PA allowed the government to keep in constant touch with the people as it had representation from both government and grassroots organisations.[6]
The PA carries out its grassroots activities mainly at the community centres (CCs), which were originally built by the colonial government in the 1950s as recreational spaces. After its formation in 1960, the PA took over control of the twenty-odd CCs that the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) had inherited from the colonial government,[7] and developed them as common spaces for people from all ethnic, linguistic and religious backgrounds to interact.[8] The activities organised by the CCs were managed by the Community Centre Management Committees (CCMCs) that were set up in 1964,[9] while the Citizens’ Consultative Committees (CCCs) and the Residents’ Committees (RCs) were formed in 1965 and 1978 respectively to improve communication between the people and the government as well as to promote a community spirit.[10]
The PA adopted a crest consisting of four red interlocking circles as its official logo. The circles represent the four main ethnic groups in Singapore, while the overlapping area denotes the common spaces in which they interact.[11]
References
1. Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth. (n.d). About us. Retrieved November 18, 2013, from: http://app.mccy.gov.sg/AboutUs.aspx
2. Singapore. 1960 Supplement to the Laws of the State of Singapore. (1963). People’s Association Ordinance, 1960 (Ord. 35 of 1960) (pp. 243–250). Singapore. Call no.: RCLOS 348.5957 SIN.
3. Yap, J. (2010). We are one: The People’s Association journey, 1960–2010 (p. 22). Singapore: People’s Association & Straits Times Press. Call no.: RSING 307.095957 YAP.
4. Yap, 2010, p. 20.
5. Yap, 2010, p. 22.
6. ‘People’s Assn. to help build nation’. (1960, May 14). The Straits Times, p. 4. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
7. Seah, C. M. (1973). Community centres in Singapore: Their political involvement (pp. 11, 14, 18–20). Singapore: Singapore University Press. Call no.: RSING 301.5095957 SEA.
8. Yap, 2010, p. 48.
9. Managing bodies for centres: ‘Historic event’. (1964, October 3). The Straits Times, p. 4. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
10. 25 years with the people 1960–1985: People’s Association 25th anniversary publication. (1985). Singapore: The Association, p. 8. Call no.: RSING 301.34095957 TWE; Mauzy, D. K., & Milne, R. S. (2002). Singapore politics under the People's Action Party (p. 96). London, New York: Routledge.
11. Yap, 2010, p. 240.
The information in this article is valid as at 2011 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.